Checkerboard with trap doors



July 20, 1954 P, D BELLA 2,684,247

CHECKERBOARD WITH TRAP DOORS Filed Sept. 20, 1952 Z5. 3 INVENTOR.

Refer De 5//a Patented July 20, 1954 UNITED STATE FATENT OFFICE CHECKERBOARD WITH TRAP DOORS Peter De Bella, Sioux City, Iowa Application September 20, 1952, Serial No. 310,699

(Ci. 273 l3l) 2 Claims.

controlled from either end of the board by means of pivoted levers, such pivoted levers also actuating certain swinging arms for dislodging the said pieces.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan View of the board with certain fragmentary sections being taken thereof,

Figure 2 is an end view of the structure in which the game is played,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the lines 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a detail of a portion of the game structure, and

Figure 5 is a further detail of a portion of the game structure.

My invention contemplates the provision of a game device which is usually played in a manner somewhat similar to a combination of chess and checkers, and which, however, includes further mechanical features providing increased interest in the game.

I have used the character In to designate the horizontal fiat top of the board which can be made of metal or any other suitable material, and I have further used the character II to indicate the end walls attached thereto, with the character i2 indicating the side walls, these walls thereby elevating the member Ill a substantial distance above the table upon which the game is played, and leaving room for the mechanical portions which will be described.

The board N] is marked oil. with a series of squares indicated generally by the character [3, and the character l4 indicates a series of squares which are detached from the board and are all hinged at it beneath the board, so that these squares Hi can swing downwardly.

Also pivoted to the board It) by means of the vertically positioned shafts [6 are the right angled arms I! positioned as shown. Also pivot- 2 ally attached to the board at 18 are the vertically positioned additional shafts [9 having the horizontal integral portions 20 to which are attached the flat plates 2! having the square recesses 22 therein.

Attached at 23 to each of the movable squares it are the downwardly projecting posts 24 which are pivotally attached at 25 to the links 26 which are pivotally attached at 21 to the additional links 28 which links 28 are rigidly attached at 29 to the vertically positioned shafts 19.

The arms H are securely attached at 30 (see Figure 4) to the vertical pins or shafts 16 which are pivotally mounted in the board It as explained above, and rigidly attached to the bottom of the shafts l6 are the additional arms 3| to which are pivotally attached at 32 the rods 33, these rods 33 being also pivoted at the common pivoting point 21 to the links 28.

The operation of the game is as follows. The character 34 designates certain pieces which can be circular or any other shape, and which can represent soldiers, with the square pieces 35 representing officers or kings or the like.

The object of the game is to move the pieces toward the opposite end of the board as in usual board games.

Although my game requires moves in a certain manner, it should be understood that the mechanical features herein can apply to other games as well.

At any time that a piece occupies one of the movable squares M, the opposing player can cause this square to hinge downwardly by moving the opposite member 20 in either direction as indicated by the arrows 36, this movement causing the vertical shaft 19 to move at the same time swinging the link 28 in either direction indicated by the characters 37, which thereby pulls on the arm 24 so that the square It will pivot downwardly in the direction of the arrow 33 (see Figure 4) so that any piece upon this square will then fall downwardly beneath the surface l0 and onto the table.

At the same time, the attachment of the rod 33 will rotate the arm 3|, thereby causing the right angled member I! to pivot in the direction of the arrow 39, which will automatically cause any piece on the adjacent square to the square I 4 to be swept into the opening left by the down- Wardly positioned square. In this manner, the opposing player can cause two pieces to drop into the trap-door square when desired, or can drop one piece on either square.

The pieces can be placed in the cavities 22 in 3 the plate 2! and will represent gunners, and when an opposing piece reaches the square beneath the plate 21, such being a king 35 for instance, this piece can be placed in the cavity, Figure 1 showing such a condition, whereby the player will then be allowed to fire or operate the lever against the rear of the opposing force.

In the present game, the players are allowed to move past the right angled members 11, although in some games it is contemplated that these arms can act as bars preventing movement in certain directions. It will be noted that the linkages allow the members 20 to be swung in either direction as explained, and yet secure the.

same result of hinging the doors downwardly as well as moving the arms [1.

It will be noted that this game provides the additional interesting feature of dislodging the pieces from the board surface, after which dislodgrnent the various movable members can be brought back to normal position.

It will be further noted that my invention provides all of the advantages mentioned in the objects of my invention with various other advantages being readily apparent.

Esorne changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purpose 01' my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. A game comprising a board member having a plurality of squares thereon, pieces for movement along said squares, certain of said squares being inged to said board for downward movement,

vertically positioned shafts attached to said board along the edges thereof, said shafts including upper horizontal levers extending therefrom, said hinged squares including brackets attached thereto, additional lower levers attached to said shafts, links pivoted to said additional lower levers and said brackets, whereby movement of said lower levers will cause said squares to pivot downwardly, additional vertically positioned shafts in said board positioned adjacently to said hinged squares, right angled arms attached to said vertically positioned shafts, additional lower arms attached to said additional vertically positioned shafts, rods pivotally attached to said lower arms and said lower levers whereby swinging movement of said vertically positioned. shafts will also cause said right angled arms to pivot in a horizontal plane to thereby sweep pieces into the openings left by said downwardly hinged squares.

2. A game comprising a board member having a plurality of squares thereon, pieces for movement along said squares, certain of said squares being hinged to said board for downward movement, right angled arms pivoted adj acently to said hinged squares, means for moving said right angled arms to sweep pieces into the openings provided when said hinged squares are moved downwardly, means operable for swinging said squares downwardly.

-i-leferences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 919,148 Flint Apr. 20, 19-09 2,219,546 Petersen Oct. 29, 1940 2,420,482 Janik May 13, 19 i? 

